[UPDATE 11:15 a.m.] State Route 299 Might Be Closed Until Wednesday (Maybe It Will Open Intermittently)

Crews working at the Big French’s Creek slide. [Photo from Caltrans District 2]

State Route 299 which runs east from Arcata through Redding, could be closed until next Wednesday. According to a statement on Caltrans District 2 Facebook page at 10 a.m. today, “Crews are working to excavate a large section of the hillside before they can reopen the road. They hope to move traffic through by Wednesday, November 23, 2016. If they can open the road intermittently before that, they will do so.”

So, those of you hoping to go through 299 east for the holidays will likely have access, according to Caltrans.

UPDATE 11:15 a.m.: Caltrans District 1 reports on its Facebook page,

It is expected that Route 299 will remain closed throughout the weekend, and that one-way traffic control may be possible sometime next week.

A large boulder precariously located in the slide area will have to be removed by heavy equipment. Material is being removed from the area above the slope failure and crews will work down the hillside from there.

If intermittent openings are possible, our partners in District 2 will work to get folks through as they can.

State Route 36 is the closest and most direct state highway detour around the closure.

No! I just made the trip today. There are some small towns with grocery/gas places that probably have rest rooms and one or two campgrounds but not sure if they are even open. No rest areas at all and overall a pretty unpleasant drive. Also, there were two construction stops. Sorry!!